Machine for cutting friction elements



July 3, 1934.

Ori inal Filed Oct. 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Im/entor:

Q July 3, 1934. sMlTH 1,965,110

MACHINE FOR CUTTING FRICTION ELEMENTS Original Filed 001:. 29, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Im/e ntor 72. M %ww4 Patented July 3, 1934 PATENT emu-zMACHINE FOR CUTTING FRICTION ELEMENTS Harry N. Smith, Detroit, Michasalgnor to American Brakeblok Corporation, Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of New York Original application October'29, 1930,Serial No. 491,944. Divided and this application May 22,

1933, Serial No. 672,274

7 Claims. (01. 164- 48) This is a division of my application Serial No.491,944, filed October 29, 1930.

This invention relates to cutting machines and is particularly adaptedfor severing strip material. The invention is especially useful inconnection with the manufacture of friction elements for the brakes ofautomotive vehicles and the like.

The primary objects of the invention .are to cut friction elements ofpredetermined length from a continuously fed strip without interruptingmovement thereof, to cut sections of varied lengths from the strip, toprovide asimple adjustment for varying the lengths of the sections, tomove the severing mechanism in timed relation with the movement of thestrip, and to operate the severing device after a predetermined lengthof strip material has been wound in a winding or reeling machine.

A selected embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the cutting machine inconnection with a forming machine and a reeling machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the cuttingmachine; and

Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine as illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as adaptedfor cutting friction elements of the kindused in the brakes ofautomotive vehicles and the like but it is to be understood that this isbut an illustrative embodiment for the invention is susceptible to manyother uses. In the drawings I show a stripforming machine4 which may beof the kind illustrated and described in my co-pendingapplication,Serial No. 491,375, filed October 27, 1930, now Patent No. 1,920,023,patented July 25, 1933. The strip is delivered from the forming machineover a delivery table 5 and is directed onto the carriage 6 of a cuttingmachine '7.

The carriage 6 is reciprocated by a rocker arm 8 pivotally mounted onthe frame of the cutting machine, as indicated at 9. This rocker isconnected to a driving disc 16 by suitable variable connecting means 11.The disc 10 is driven by a chain 12 which, in turn, is driven by a powerdelivery sprocket 13 of the speed varying device, generally indicated by14, which includes an adjusting wheel 15. Power is supplied to the speedvarying mechanism 14 through a chain 16 which is connected to thesprocket 1'7 on the main drive shaft 18 of the machine 4. The shaft 18is driven from a suitable source of power. Since the forming machine 4and the cutting machine '7 are driven from the same source of power,these ma-' chines may be operated in timed relation and 'movement of thecarriage 6 may be timed to the movement of the strip 19 from the machine4 onto the carriage 6.

The cutting machine may be operated to sever the strip into shortsections of predetermined length and to this end a severing device 20 ismounted on the carriage 6. e The severing device is pneumaticallyoperated and air is supplied to the cylinder 21*of the severing devicethrough a hose 22. The flow of air through this hose is controlled by avalve 23. The valveincludes a to f the abutment thereof with the stop 28and therefore when the finger 25 engages the trigger 24 during movementof the carriage to the right the valve 23 is operated to permit flow ofair to the cylinder 21 whereby the severing device is operated.

After operation of the severing device the carriage6 continues to theendof the predeterminedv stroke and then moves toward the left, asviewed in Fig. 2, and during this movement the finger 25 may freelypivot in a clockwise direction and hence the trigger 24 is not operatedthereby until the flnger agaIn engages the trigger when the carriage ismoving toward the right in the next operation of the carriage.

The severing device is not always operated to sever the strip 21 intoshort sections of predetermined length for sometimes the strip isadapted to be wound in a suitable winding machine and under theseconditions the severing device is not operated until a predeterminedlength of the strip has been wound in the winding machine.

For example, a strip twenty-five feet in length is often wound. Suchstrips are utilized in the replacement of friction elements worn out inservice. It is much easier for a dealer to carry a length of material instock and to cut from this length sections of proper length to meet therequirements of a particular job than to attempt to carry a large numberof sections each adapted for a special use.

I therefore construct the cutting machine so that the severing devicewill not be operated once carriage 6 as is done when the strip is to besevered into short sections.

As illustrated, the cutting machine is to be so used with a windingmachine, generally indicated by 29, and which includes a suitable framehaving supporting rails on which bearings are mounted in which a shaftis journaled. Another shaft 31 is journaled in bearings carried by othersupporting rails in the winding machine. Mashed gears 32 and 33 arerespectively fast on the shafts 30 and 31. A sprocket 34 isfastontheshaft3landachain35isdirected thereabout, and this chain is alsodirected about a sprocket 35 fast on the shaft in the speed varyingdevice carrying the sprocket about which the chain 16 is directed sothat the winding machine 29 may also be operated with the forming woundon the drum 36 and I provide the following mechanisms for effecting suchoperation of v the severing device.

A pinion 3'! is fast on one of the shafts of the speed varying device 14and meshes with a spur gear 38 mounted on the stud shaft 39. A pin 40projects from the side of the spur gear 38 and during rotation of thegear 38 successively engages the arms of the star wheel 41 rotatablymounted at 42 on the frame of the speed varying device 14. Pins 43 areprovided on diametrically opposite arms of the star wheel 41 whichsuccessively engage the operating lever 44 of the switch 45. The switch45 controls the operation of the solenoid 46 mounted on the carriage 6.The solenoid includes an armature 47 and a link 48 is pivotallyconnected to the free end of the armature. This link is also pivotallyconnected to the depending leg 49 of the finger 25. A spring 50 isdetachably connected to the leg 49 and normally holds the finger 25 inthe full line position of Fig. 2. When the switch 45 is closed by the,operation of the lever 44 thereof by a pin -43, the solenoid isenergized and the finger 25 is drawn'into the full line position of Fig.2 and during the succeedin movement of the carriage 6 toward the right,as viewed in Fig. 2, the finger 25 engages the trigger 24 and operatesthe valve 23.

Rotation of the gear 38 is synchronized with the movement of the strip19 and by properly positioning the pin 40 on the gear 38 the operationof the valve 23 and the subsequent operation of the severing device 20may be accurately timed so that the severing'device will be operatedwhen a predetermined length of the strip material has been wound on thedrum 36 By omitting one of the pins 43 a strip of twice the length ofthat severed when both pins are provided may be wound on the drum beforethe severing device operates and by adding other pins 43 shorterlengthsof the strip may be severed after winding on the drum.

After operation of the severing device, the wound strip is quicklyremoved from the drum 36 and the forward end of the strip 19 is againconnected to the drum.

The operation of the cutting machine for severing short sectiom ofpredetermined length is somewhat similar to that disclosed in my PatentNo. 1,883,025, patented October 18, 1932. Such operation of the machineis possible for the spring 50 is detachably connected to the leg 49 andwhen it is disconnected from this leg the 1ii inger 25 assumes thedotted line, position of However, by providing the solenoid 46 and thecooperating parts I am enabled to operate the machine in such a way thatthe severing device does not operate during each of the complete backand forth reciprocations of the carriage 6 for when the spring 50 isconnected to the leg 49 the severing is only brought about by theclosing of the switch 45 and the energizing of the solenoid 46. Asexplained, the time at which the switch 45 is closed may be varied byproperly positioning the pins on the star wheel 43. Such control of thesevering device enables strips of related lengths to be cut for when twopinsare provided strips of a certain length are cut but when one pin isprovided strips of twice this length are cut whereas when four pins areprovided strips of a length equal to one-half of the length of thestrips cut when two pins are used are severed from the continuously fedstrip.

While I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of myinvention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation andmodification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes andalterations as fall within the scope of the following claims? I claim:

1. In a device for severing strip material passing therethrough,severing means past which the strip is directed, means for controllingthe operation of said severing means, means for operating saidcontrolling means and including a piv-.

otally mounted member, spring means for holding said pivotally mountedmember in an inoperative position, electrically operated means formoving said pivotally mounted member into operative position, and meansfor energizing and de-energizing said electrically operated means when apredetermined length of said strip has passed through said devicewhereby said pivotally mounted member is positioned to actuate saidsevering means, said spring means returning said pivotally mountedmember to inoperative position when said electrically operated means isde-energized.

2. In a device for severing strip material passing therethrough, acutting device including a carriage'carrying severing means, means formoving said carriage in one direction in synchronism with the movementof the strip in said direction and for moving said carriage in theopposite direction, means controlling the operation of said severingmeans, and means for rendering said.

severing means operative during a movement of the carriage with saidstrip whereby a predetermined length is severed from said strip andincluding a variable portion for altering the operation of said cuttingmeans whereby said strip is severed into a length which is an evenmultiple of said predetermined length.

3. In a device for severing strip material passing therethrough, acutting device including a carriage carrying severing means, meansmoving the carriage in one direction in synchronism with the movement ofthe strip in said direction and for moving the carriage in the oppositedirection, means controlling the operation of said severing means, andmeans for rendering said severingmeans operative during a movement ofthe carriage with said strip whereby said strip is severed into apredetermined length and including an electric circuit embodying aswitch and means for operating said switch, said switch operating meansincluding variable means for altering the operation of said cuttingmeans to eilect severance of said strip into lengths which are an evenmultiple of said predetermined length.

4. In a device for severing strip material passing therethrough,severing means, a carriage over which the strip material is fed, meansfor moving upon operate said severing means, said spring means returningsaid pivotally mounted member to inoperative position upontie-energizing of said solenoid.

5. In a device for severing strip material passing therethrough,severing means, a carriage over which the strip material is fed, meansfor moving the carriage in timed relation with the strip, meanscontrolling operation of said severing means, a solenoid, meanscontrolled by said solenoid for regulating operation of the meanscontrolling said severing means, and means controlling operation of saidsolenoid and including variable portions whereby the strip material maybe selectively severed into lengths which are even multiples of apredetermined length.

6. In a device for severing strip material passing therethrough,severing means, pneumatic means for operating said severing means, avalve controlling said pneumatic means, a member controlling said valve,means for holding said member in an inoperative position, electricallyoperated means for moving said member into valve operating position, andmeans for rendering said electrically operated means operative when apredetermined length of strip material has moved past said severingmeans.

7. In a device for severing strip material passing therethrough, acutting device including a carriage carrying severing means, means formoving the carriage in one direction in synchronism with movement of thestrip in said direction and for moving the carriage in the oppositedirection, pneumatic means for operating said severing means, a valvecontrolling said pneumatic means, a member on said carriage controllingsaid valve,

means for holding said member in an inoperative position, electricallyoperated means on said car-

